Vengeance!
by The Mushroom Fairy
Summary: True Rune bearers, beware! Sarah's back and out for revenge. Takes place 5 years after the end of Suikoden 3. (Spoilers.)
1. HUGO prologue

**HUGO - prologue**

"So then the ironhead said, 'He's not from around here, for _karayan_ out loud!'"

Hugo laughed with his friend's raucous quacks at the corny joke, shaking his head and practically skipping along the dirt path that led back to his home. He was almost giddy, having just returned from his official journey into manhood, a clan tradition that had forced him away from home and all that was familiar for four whole years. Just when things had seemed to be getting back to normal in the Grasslands--the villages were rebuilt, new alliances created, peace made prevalent--it had been time to make his journey. And what a journey it had been! Hugo and Jordi, formerly Sergeant Joe, of the Duck Clan, had had many great adventures in the past three years, and the boy had grown up. And he had fallen in love.

_Oh! So much to tell mother!_ Hugo thought excitedly. He'd been so many places, seen so many things, met so many people... met Nelara...

"Hugo! Slow down, _quack!_" Jordi cried, walking as quickly as he could to catch up. "In a hurry or something?" he chuckled.

"I can't wait to see my mother," Hugo admitted, his eyes gazing brightly ahead. Just one more corner to turn, and...

Jordi reached out his wing to halt the man in his tracks.

"Is something wrong?" Hugo asked, puzzled and a bit impatient.

Jordi shook his head, his own eyes a bit misty. "I just wanted to look at you."

"Oh, Sergeant..." Hugo still called him that, though Jordi had long ago left the Duck Clan Army.

The duck sniffed. "Just four years ago we walked this same path, and... well, in the other direction of course, haha... quack." He cleared his throat, then gave another little laugh. "You always _were_ embarrassed by public displays of affection."

Hugo put his hands on his hips, looking at his friend with mock scorn. "You're not going soft on me, are you, Sergeant?" He grinned, poking Jordi's soft, feathered chest.

"QUACK! You've also become a smartass!"

The two wrestled for a moment, Jordi quacking his head off and trying to ward Hugo off with his wings. "Quack! Watch the feathers!" Hugo tackled him to the dusty trail, springing off of him in a superhuman bound, jogging ahead to the village.

Hugo looked behind him and laughed merrily as he watched his friend struggle to catch up once more. But when he turned his eyes ahead to the village, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Gone. Everything was gone.

_Impossible!_

"Qua... qua... Wear you out, did I?" Jordi panted as he caught up. He gave Hugo an odd look. "What's wrong?"

"Where... is it?"

"Where's what?"

Hugo slowly raised his arm, pointing to a large area of ground, blackened with ash, where his village had once stood.


	2. CHRIS prologue

**CHRIS - prologue**

Chris Lightfellow was still in her office at half past ten, muttering to herself as she went through some paperwork. "Rations are a bit.... hmm.... just a little more to meet the quota...."

"Working late?" a friendly voice joked; joked, because Chris _always_ worked late.

"Louis, what are you still doing here?" the lady councilor asked in surprise, blinking at her secretary with tired eyes.

"Oh, this and that," Louis said vaguely, stashing some documents in a shelf. "I haven't seen you look this exhausted since the old days when you were Captain of the Army," he commented with concern. "Maybe you should call it a day."

Chris was unable to stifle a yawn, raising one pale hand to her mouth and letting her other arm stretch high. "It's too late to be day anymore. Besides, I'm almost finished."

"_Almost finished_ can mean another two hours to _you_," the young man said, shaking his head with a sigh. "You always _were_ the most dedicated woman in Vinay."

"Thank you, Louis, but I know how hard you work, too."

"Only because I'm afraid of making you look bad," Louis grinned. "I think I will head out now, though. Shall I lock up?"

"No, really--I'll be done in..." Chris glanced at the clock, "half an hour."

Louis sighed again. "Whatever you say, madam. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Louis," she returned, and then she was alone. She delved immediately back into her work.

After the war as one of the new Flame Champion's Firebringer five years ago, former Lady Chris of the Six Great Zexen Knights had become Head Councilor Chris Lightfellow. She'd come home a true hero, and immediately cracked down on the corrupt government by quite literally tossing out everyone who had been in power. She'd hired her own staff and chosen colleagues based on their intelligence and compassion, not for their bribery resources or cunning. It had been a difficult five years, but now the economy had improved, there was peace in the land, and the people had a government they could trust. Everything was secure; everyone felt safe.

Chris started at the sound of a door slamming--was it slamming closed, or slamming open?--down the hall. "Louis?" she asked nervously. There was no answer. "Louis, is that you?" she called out more loudly.

Suddenly the door to her office flew open.

Chris jumped to her feet, her palms flat on her desk as she leaned forward. "You--!" she cried. It was the last sound she made before everything went black.


	3. GEDDOE prologue

**GEDDOE - prologue**

Geddoe stared at the letter on his desk, no longer reading it but letting his fingers glide over the dry ink absently as he went over its contents in his mind, but he was also thinking of its writer.

It had been a long time since he had seen Queen. A lot had happened in the past five years. His thoughts often drifted to the events of the past, but he couldn't say he missed the way things used to be.

Glancing out the adobe window of his dojo in Caleria, Geddoe caught sight of his lover and smiled. No, he wouldn't go back to the way things were for any prize. Jacques was all he needed now. Queen's letter disturbed him, though, and with a tightening in his chest, he realized that just one of many nightmares was coming true.

They'd always known that his having possession of-or rather, being possessed by-one of the 27 True Runes would end up hurting them somehow. He wanted to stay with Jacques, always, but if he didn't age, and Jacques did, then eventually...

Their old friend had written to him hastily, her words scrawled across the page, but whether from excitement or fear, Geddoe couldn't say. Yet Queen had clearly been distressed to relay the news: Sasarai was dead.

_Maybe I should just go on alone,_ he thought, but the notion was dismissed as quickly as it had crossed his mind. Jacques would never let him leave alone, and would follow if he'd tried. Besides, Geddoe knew that he didn't want to live without Jacques. He couldn't.

Sighing, he left the letter on his desk and walked out of his small office to the main room of the dojo. He was glad for the heat keeping everyone away. It didn't look as though he'd have to worry about disappointing any gym rats today. He opened the wooden double doors and lifted the green welcome mat that signified he was open, giving an approaching young man a flash of a smile in apology before ducking back inside, rolling the mat and leaning it against the wall. Making sure he had his key in his pocket, Geddoe stepped outside, locking the doors behind him as he went to break the news to Jacques that they must soon leave their home.


End file.
